We want to keep your teeth and mouth healthy for the rest of your life. Most dental problems are treatable and with the correct preventive care avoidable.

At any stage in life, by actively taking control of your own homecare routine, diet and lifestyle you can make the environment in your mouth more tooth and gum ‘friendly’.

Your dentist and hygienist will have lots of advice on diet, toothbrushing or flossing, but following our top tips will help you take better care of your smile!

• Use a toothbrush with a small head and gently brush away from your gums.
• Avoid toothbrushes with ‘hard’ bristles, they can actually wear away your teeth and gums.
• Use a small amount of fluoride toothpaste (unless your dentist has recommended a special toothpaste for a specific condition).
• Thoroughly brush your teeth for at least two minutes in the morning and before bed. Brush after eating and try to only drink water after you’ve brushed at night.
• Use dental floss and interdental brushes to clean between your teeth.
• Keep seeing your dentist and hygienist regularly for maintenance and advice.
• Limit the amount of sugary snacks and drinks you consume between meals.
• Chew sugar-free gum after eating.

For most patients we can accurately predict the level of dental care they will need, depending upon the stage they’ve reached in life. When you come to our clinic we can assess you current oral health and plan preventative dental care for the future. As a guide:

Your Age	The dental care you will be likely to need
0-10	First visits to the dentist, we will encourage good oral health habits, advise on diet, decay and preventative treatments like fissure sealant.
10-20	Orthodontic work is common in this age group. We will continue to monitor your general dental health and ensure our hygiene team help develop good habits for a healthy smile.
20-50	For the majority of adults this stage of their life is about regular check-ups and hygiene, coupled with minor preventative treatments. Cosmetic work is popular, improving the appearance of teeth for a special day, or to enhance your career prospects.
50-70	At this stage it becomes more important to be vigilant about gum disease. If you have missing teeth you may be considering implants or implant-stabilised dentures. Cosmetic treatments, including whitening, are a popular and non-invasive way of instantly looking younger.
70-100+	As we become less dextrous the support of a good hygiene team is vital to maximise oral health. Clear links between gum disease, heart disease, strokes, diabetes and dementia have been discovered. Dental implants, implant-stabilised dentures or dentures can replace missing teeth and keep you smiling.

When should my child first come to your clinic?
Most children are ready to visit our clinic for their own dental appointment by the age of three. If your child has older siblings, bring your toddler with you to their appointments, this can help them to understand that visits to the dentist are a normal part of our oral care routine

How regularly will I need to see my dentist?
Everyone is an individual. Once your mouth and teeth have reached their optimal health, your dentist will recommend your unique maintenance schedule, outlining the frequency of dental and hygiene appointments.

My son has just started his orthodontic treatment and has a brace? Can your hygienists help him keep his mouth healthy?
Good habits learnt know, can protect his teeth and prevent future problems. In our experience support and advice from our hygiene team is vital in ensuring that at the end of his orthodontic treatment he has a straight and healthy smile that he can be proud of.

My mother had gum disease and now wears a partial denture, how can you help me keep all of my own teeth
Some people appear to be more susceptible to the bacteria that cause gum disease. We sometimes meet families where gum disease is prevalent, but you should not assume you will automatically lose your teeth. Having a full medical history and knowledge of your mother’s condition will help your dentist and hygienist plan for the eventuallity that you may be more susceptible. With excellent oral hygiene habits, a healthy diet and regular hygiene appointments we can keep a close eye on the health of your gums.

Our new patient assessment for adults is an hour-long appointment and costs £150, the new patient assessment for children costs £50.

A routine dental exam for an adult costs £58, a child’s routine dental exam starts at £40.

Hygiene appointments cost from £58 (for thirty minutes), up to £116 for an hour-long appointment. Your first hygiene appointment is normally an hour long, after this your dentist will develop a maintenance schedule for you.